Henby o neill



(No Model.)

H. ONEILL.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SEMAPHORES. No. 329,671.

@mwm A a UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HENRY ONEILL, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING RAILWAY-SEMAPHORES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,671, dated November 3, 1885.

Application filed July 8, 1885. Serial No. 170,929. (No model.) Patented in Canada March 16, 1885, No.2l,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ONEILL, of the city of Montreal, in the district of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Railway-Semaphores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has reference to certain improvements in the apparatus used at present for working semaphores and signal-lights for railways and it consists, first, in an improved device used in connection with the ratchet, drum, and lever generally placed upon station-platforms for working the semaphore or signal, by which the operating-lever is prevented from flying over and injuring the operator, and from breaking by violent con tactwith the platform or ground; and, secondly, in improved mechanism operated from said drum, whereby greater simplicity and efficiency are secured in the raising and lowering of the semaphore'arm and the turning of the signal-lamp.

For full comprehension of the invention reference must be had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view (or that parallel to the track) of a semaphore post and clutch with semaphore lowered. Fig. 2 is a View of the opposite side of same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the upper portion of the post. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View on line a; 00, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is an end view of the clutch and operating mechanism.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A A are standards, usually secured to a station-platform, having bearings formed in them for a short shaft, a, on which is mounted a drum, B, to the periphery of which is attached the end of the semaphore line or chain C, adapted to be wound therein. On the side of this drum B, I form teeth b,to intermesh with similar teeth, (1, formed on the side of a ratchet-wheel D, mounted loosely on the shaft a, thus forming a clutch.

E is the operating-lever, having an eye, 6, loosely encircling the hub D on the face of the ratchet D, and provided with a pawl, e, in-

termeshing with the teeth on its periphery. A spring, F, encircling the shaft a between the hub D of the ratchet and the standard, holds the ratchet-Wheel D in clutch with the drum B. i

G is a bell-crank lever, pivoted to suitable bearings, 9, one end of it being formed as a foot lever or treadle, G, and the other end being forked and fitting in a groove, d, formed in the hub D. Immediately under the ratchet D, and arranged to engage therewith, is a weighted pawl, E, for retaining the ratchet in any position to which it may have been brought by the action of the lever E and pawl e.

The semaphore line or chain C has one end connected to the drum B, and after being carried in the usual way over sheaves in the lineposts, passes round and is secured to a segment-shaped lever, H, carried and pivoted in a bracket, h, bolted to the semaphore-post K, the (continuous) line being then taken up and attached to another segment-lever, L, rigidly mounted on a shaft, Z, passing through the post K and carrying on its other end thesemaphore-board M. The line C, after passing over the segment L, is taken down and attached to a weighted lever, N, pivoted to the post K.

The signal-lamp Pis mounted on a short vertical spindle or shaft, Q, carried in brackets q q on the side of the post. From the spindle Q projects, at right angles thereto, an arm, Q, connected by a pivoted link, R, with a crank-pin, 1", onthe inner face of the leverL.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The drum B and ratchet-wheel D are by the action of the spring normally in clutch with each other, so that by operating the lever E the chain or line C is wound upon the drum, and the segment L drawn over a full quartercircle, thereby depressing the semaphore-arm M to avertical position parallel with the post, the weighted lever N being raised. Simultaneously with this movement the spindle Q, on which the lamp P is mounted, is given a quarter-turn by the action of the link R, conneeted with the crank-pin r on the segmentL upon the arm Q, the signal given corresponding of course with that indicated by the turneddown semaphore-board. To restore the semaphore-board M and lamp P to their normal position the operator presses on the treadle G, thereby compressing the spring F and drawing the ratchet 'D out of clutch with the drum B, and thereby releasing this last from the hold of the pawl E. The action of the weighted lever N will then draw over the segment L to such an extent as to raise the semaphore-board M to a horizontal position and to turn the lamp P. It will of course be understood that the chain 0 may be wound on the drum just sufficient to raise the semaphoreboard to any intermediate angle.

By the invention above described all danger to the operator from the lever flying over is obviated, and the arrangement of the signal-lamp on a short spindle out of fast connection with the other moving parts does away with any possibility of the light being put out by the concussion caused by the fall of the counter-balance.

What I claim as new, and wish secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In an apparatus for working semaphores, the combination,with the drum and a ratchetwheel normally in clutch with same, ofa bellcrank lever pivoted to stand and operating to withdraw ratchet Wheel from clutch with drum, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an apparatus for operating railwaysemaphores, the combination, with a drum and drumrshaft, of a ratchet mounted loosely on said shaft and normally in clutch with said drum, a lever and pawl for rotating same, a retaining-pawl, and a bell-crank lever operating to throw said ratchet out of clutch with said'drum, substantially'as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the segment L,

phore-board raised the lamp will turn simul'; j.

taneously, substantially as described.

Montreal, July 2, A. D. 1885 I HENRY ONEILL. Witnesses:

R. A. KELLOND, OWEN M. EVANS. 

